October 24, 2013 -- OSHA's decision to postpone the effective date of its crane operator qualification requirements (Subpart CC of 29 CFR 1926) to allow time for additional rulemaking surprised the industry and has led to confusion as to the legal responsibilities for qualifying employees who work with and around cranes. Presenter Graham Brent, Executive Director of National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), recently conducted a webinar for the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association (SC&RA) providing a comprehensive review of those responsibilities from a federal perspective. As part of the webinar Mr. Brent reviewed the two central issues--certifying by crane capacity and whether certification is equivalent to qualification--that prompted OSHA to announce its intention to reopen the crane rule will be examined. Industry responses to requests for input by OSHA and other entities on these issues were also analyzed for insight into the likely direction OSHA rulemaking will take in the near future.